Tibet

The Shangyuan Lantern Festival in Luoyang is also in full swing and very lively, but many people have discovered that the official lanterns are basically from previous years and there is nothing new.

Of course, everyone can understand that the imperial court is overwhelmed by military salaries every month. It can't even afford the salaries of all the officials in the imperial court. How can there be money to put up lanterns?

However, even if it is an old lantern, the people are still very interested, helping the old and the young to go out to watch the lanterns. The streets are bustling with people.

Luoyang Chongye Square is also a place where fireworks gather in Luoyang City. There are more than 20 famous brothels gathered here. On the night of the Lantern Festival, it is also full of lights and oirans compete for beauty, making it especially beautiful and enchanting.

There is a General Restaurant in Chongye Square. Legend has it that it was the property of Xue Huaiyi, the Weiwei General. Xue Huaiyi has long since turned into dust, but the General Restaurant is still there.

Amidst the singing and dancing of the orioles, the general restaurant was brightly lit and extremely lively.

In an elegant room on the third floor, a young man in white wearing a golden crown was sitting across from a middle-aged man in gorgeous clothes, drinking. Several guards with knives stood outside.

The young master in white is none other than the Fourth Prince Wei Wang Li Bai, and the man opposite him is Taichang Temple Shaoqing Tian Shengqi. The Grand General Restaurant is the property of the Tian family.

Tian Shenqi is the younger brother of Tian Shengong, the governor of Hedong. Tian Shengong has two brothers. One is Tian Shenyu, the governor of Yunzhou, and the other is Tian Shenqi, the young minister of Taichang Temple.

Tian Shengong was a warlord who supported the imperial court among many vassal towns. He was very rare. In order to win over Tian Shengong, Emperor Li Heng asked his fourth son, King Li Bai, to marry Tian Shengong's daughter. Concubine Tian gave birth to a son for Li Bai the next year. The relationship between husband and wife is excellent.

It is for this reason that Tian Shengong fully supported King Wei in his bid for the crown prince position. Although the emperor finally appointed King Li of Yue as his heir, which disappointed countless people, as time went by, everyone could see that King Li of Yue was good. He is drunk, greedy, mediocre and incompetent, and is not worthy of being the heir to the throne.

As Emperor Li Heng's condition worsened, the emperor's heir Li Xi showed no signs of becoming a prince, which gave other princes hope again.

Tian Shenqi poured a full glass of wine for Li Bai and said with a smile: "I thought His Highness would be closely monitored by the Plum Blossom Guards and would have no chance to come out!"

Li Bai picked up the wine glass and sneered: "The Eunuchs are the Eunuchs. They think they are powerful, but how many people in the world think highly of them? Plum Blossom Guard General Wang Siyi looks like a member of Li Fuguo. I think he has other ideas. On the surface, the Plum Blossom Guards were under strict surveillance, but in fact they were full of loopholes. They monitored my carriage, but when I came out in another carriage, they ignored me. "

Tian Shenqi nodded and asked in a low voice: "Did His Highness bring it?"

Li Bao got up and locked the door, then came back and sat down. He took out a yellow satin brocade bag from his arms, and also took out a small-sized edict from it. Normal edicts are one foot and one inch wide, but there are also some edicts for special circumstances, such as The famous Yidaizhao cannot be made according to standard sizes.

Li Bai's mini-edict was only three inches wide, but the content inside was very formal, signed by the emperor, and stamped with the seal of the ordered treasure.

This is one of the seven succession edicts. The content is very clear. The throne is passed to the Wei King Li Bai, who will inherit the Tang Dynasty.

Tian Shenqi felt like he had found a treasure. He looked at it carefully and said with emotion: "The emperor's heir Li Xi was really just a deceiver to make the eunuchs focus on Li Xi. Then he built the plank road openly and secretly concealed the real successor. The edict is handed over to His Highness.”

Li Bao drank another glass of wine and said with real dissatisfaction: "I don't understand why my father didn't just kill Li Fuguo and then directly declare me as the prince. Instead, he made it mysterious and shady."

Tian Shenqi shook his head, "The current situation in the court is the same as that in the late Han Dynasty. The Qichang Shi has taken control of the palace. The emperor is surrounded by Li Fuguo's eyes and ears. As long as the emperor dares to show the slightest idea of ​​killing Li Fuguo, he will definitely be punished by the eunuchs. Kill him first. The emperor can only pretend to entrust the government to Queen Zhang, and pretend to make Li Xi the emperor's heir to confuse the eunuchs. If he announces that you will be crown prince, then you can be sure that the assassination of the emperor's eldest grandson will happen again soon. You will also be assassinated by eunuchs."

Li Bao said worriedly: "But I suspect that I am not the only one who has the edict, Prince Peng and Li Jin also have it!"

Tian Shenqi said calmly: "It's normal. If your side fails, you can still count on other princes. This is to fight for their own backstage."

Li Bao put the wine glass heavily on the table, "Yes! It's the end of the Han Dynasty now. Li Fuguo, Yu Chaoen, Cheng Yuanzhen, Dong Xiu and others are the seven permanent servants. My father-in-law is He Jin, and Li Ye is Dong Zhuo, but I definitely Instead of Liu Xie, I want to kill the Qi Chang Shi, fight against Dong Zhuo, and pacify the warlords of the world!"

Tian Shenqi nodded, "The top priority now is to transfer His Highness, Princess and Prince to Taiyuan. Luoyang is very unsafe. My brother is very worried. Once the Emperor dies, the eunuchs and Empress Zhang will definitely kill the Prince. Your Highness Too dangerous."

Li Bao was startled, and his face showed fear, "What should we do?"

"There is a way. As long as we bribe Wang Siyi and make the Plum Blossom Guards turn a blind eye, we can transport His Highness and his family out of Luoyang by water. Now we have to wait for spring to come and the river thaws. Your Highness himself must be prepared."

"Is Third Uncle going back to Taiyuan?"

Tian Shenqi shook his head, "Of course I won't go back. My mission is to take your family out of Luoyang. The ship is ready. I have bribed Wang Siyi once."

Li Bao suddenly realized, "No wonder I can come out today, they don't care at all, it turns out"

Tian Shenqi smiled and said, "We need to bribe a second time to be completely sure!"

The palace was particularly deserted on the Lantern Festival night, in sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle outside.

The emperor woke up and started to eat something. The imperial physician also had to diagnose and treat him and change his medicine. At this time, Queen Zhang must be sitting at the door and taking a nap.

The last time, Prince Peng Li Jin secretly met the emperor while she was away and got a lot of important resources, which made Queen Zhang hate him to the bone and regret it. She learned a profound lesson. As long as the emperor wakes up, she must be by his side immediately and never give anyone a chance again.

Queen Zhang was sitting on a chair and taking a nap. At this time, she felt someone pushing her. She slowly opened her eyes. It was the little maid next to the emperor and her confidant.

"My queen, the emperor invites you in."

Queen Zhang nodded, "Is the imperial physician gone?"

"He's gone!"

Before, the imperial physician would communicate with her about her condition every time, but now there is nothing to communicate. There is no sign of improvement. Instead, it is getting heavier day by day. Now she relies on the medicine sent by the King of Qi last year to keep her alive.

"Everyone, leave!"

Several maids and eunuchs left the room.

Empress Zhang made a gesture and slowly walked into the ward. Pei Min immediately appeared and stood guard at the door of the ward.

In the ward, looking at the skinny emperor lying on the sickbed, Empress Zhang felt an indescribable disgust in her heart. Ever since the emperor gave the Longwu Army to King Peng Li Jin without telling her last time, Empress Zhang hated the emperor very much.

But no matter how much she hated him, she had to endure it. She sat down and held her husband's hand and asked softly, "Do you feel better?"

Emperor Li Heng said with difficulty, "I may not survive this winter!"

"Your Majesty, don't think too much. Your Majesty's condition is quite serious and it will take a long time to recover."

"I remember a secret that you may not know."

"What secret?" Empress Zhang's eyes widened suddenly.